Page 74 of Little Last Words

“I don’t know what to do,” she said.

“You don’t have to decide right now. Take some time, think about it.”

“I don’t want to disrupt the kids’ lives while I’m trying to figure things out.”

“Why not take them somewhere? Make it seem like it’s a vacation, just you and them. It will give you time to think, figure out what you want without them being exposed to what’s going on here.”

Vanessa nodded. “Not a bad idea. I’ll think about it.”

She was trying to wind down the conversation, I could tell, but I wasn’t finished yet. Something she’d said earlier was bugging me.

“Before, you mentioned being at the lake with Penelope. Did you two go to the lake often?”

She raised a brow. “Why?”

“I have my reasons for asking.”

“Okay, well, yeah. We went to the lake a lot. Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends.”

“Did anything ever happen on one of the lake trips, anything which was said or done to upset Penelope?”

Vanessa clenched her hands.

The question had unnerved her.

“Why would you ask me that?” she asked.

There was something she wasn’t telling me. I did some quick thinking on how to get it out of her. I wasn’t one for dishonesty, but in this case, I decided a modicum of creative phrasing was in order.

“I stopped by the DuPonts’ house today,” I said. “In a conversation I had with her father, he told me about a time right before Penelope graduated when she withdrew from friends and family. Did you notice a change in her back then?”

“How does it relate to the lake?”

“You tell me. Like I said, I spoke to Penelope’s father. I think you know why I’m asking you about the lake.”

I wasn’t sure if I’d been convincing enough, and I considered the possibility I was grasping at nothing, until she said, “Penelope wouldn’t have … why would she … what they must think of me.”

She was tapping the arm of the chair again, much faster and harder than before.

I’d triggered her, and not just her, an uncomfortable memory.

I hoped a little more of a push over the edge would get me right where I needed to be.

“You know, I’ve talked to several people around town,” I said. “I know who has kept in touch with Penelope. Your name never came up as one of her friends who kept in touch over the years. I’d like to know why.”

She ran her hands along her pants but remained quiet, so I stood.

“I guess we’re done here,” I said. “I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me today, but I need to get going. I think I’d better talk to Zachary on my way out. There’s something I need to discuss with him.”

She reached out, placing a hand on my arm. “No, wait. Don’t talk to him about what happened at the lake. He doesn’t know.”

I sat back down, my heart racing, excited for the big reveal.

“It was because of me, okay?” she said. “I’m part of the reason Penelope’s life plans changed.”

CHAPTER29

“You are the reason Penelope decided not to go to college?” I asked. “Explain.”